Window operator



May 1, 1945. A. RAPPL f 2,375,037

wINDow OPERATOR Filed May 4, 1942 4 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

- INVENTOR BY nOnRappL @wwf MMfm ATTORNEYS May l, 1945. A. RAPPL wINDow OPERATOR Filed May 4, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR Bnfon Rappl,

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ATTORNEYS Patented May l1, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT yOFFICE `N Anton Rappl, Buffalo, N. Y.,`1`assignor to Trico Products Corporation, Buialo, N. Y.

` Application May 4, 1942,s`era1rN'o. 441,611

renom..` (o1. 19e-ei)` This invention relates to certain new anduseful improvements in `window operators formotor vehicles and more particularly to the yiiuid type of operator, although the usev ofthe invention isnot confined to suchtype. o l

` It has heretofore been proposed to open and close the windows of automobiles by means of iiuid motors connected to the `intake manifold of the vehicle engine, locking means having been employed to prevent the surreptitious'opening of the windows from without, `together with einergency release means effective at least to partially open a window to enable the latter being manually grasped for completing its opening movement in the event thesource `of operating pressure had failed. The constructionand arrangement, `while practical, were not of suiilcient ilexiblity to conveniently adapt itself to the various styles and designs of vehicle bodies and door structures. o I

The objectof the present invention is to provide a construction `whereinis provided a greatly increased ilexibility of mounting and adapta` tionby which the emergency release is rendered moreaccessible and the entire arrangement more practical for general application. Further, the invention comprehends an emergency release utilizing a simple remote control by which the release is more readily placed under the control of the motorist. or passenger.

In the drawings,` I

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a ve hicle window and an operator therefor embodying the present invention; o

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the release control with parts .left in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of the release control, witha` portion broken away;

Figs. 4 and 5 are detailed sectional views about on lines 4--4 and 5'-5, respectively, of Fig-3; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in elevation, through the uid motor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral I designates a vehicle window slidable in vertical guideways 2 by means of a slidfrom the mounting bracket. It is therefore clear that as the window is lovfveredv it will rock the work arm 3 vto wind the counterbalance spring.

The power arm II) of the bell crank lever is pivoted on the mund portion Il of the shaft and is mechanically interlocked with thefworkarm by means of a lock bolt I2 engaging in ajrecess I3 in the work'arm 3. Thelock bolt l2 is carried by a plate `III abutting the power arm and `connected thereto bya spring plate I5 for hinging or springing actionto enable the boltsbeing retracted from the bolt hole I3 in the Work arm 3 to disconnect the two arms for a purpose hereinafter disclosed` Thepalte I4 really constitutes a part of the power arm and overlies the recessed part ofthe work arm. f 'Ihe fluid motor comprises a pistonV I6 operable inthe motor chamber Il and pivotally connected byits rod I8 to the power 'arm `Il) so that when the motor operates `under pressure differential the bell crank lever unit will rock and move the window accordingly. The pressurediferentialis ably connected work arm 3 of a modied bell o crank lever, the latter being rockably mounted by a shaft 4 journaled in a mounting bracket 5. The

work arm is xed to the shaft by being iitted upon a. portion t thereof having a non-circular cross section, and the weight of the window panel is counterbalanc'ed by a flat coiled spring 1 having its inner end engaged in a, slot 8` on the shaft and its outer end anchored on a lug 9 struck out provided by the selectiveoperation of the control Valves I9 and 20 inserted in branch conduits 2|! and 22 from the pressure supply line 23 which latter may lead to the intake manifold or other source of operating pressure.` The piston may be self-locking and for this reason comprises a rod iixed section 24 and a relatively movable or floating section 25 eachsection having fluid sealed contact with the chamber wall to be responsive to a denite pressure differential. `An expansible I shoe 26 is `interposed-between the piston sections and movably connected to the oating section for radial movement. A cam surface 21 on the in pulling the window down sufciently to enable o its being grasped `by the hand for Afurther opening.y The foregoing construction and operation are similar to the disclosure'in my earlier application for patent on a window operator, filed November 5, 1940, under Serial No. 364,421.

The present invention deals primarily with the release of the window from the motor. The bolt carrying plate I4 is formed with a free marginal with the axis of rocking of the bell crank lever. This ledge is engaged by an actuator, such as a terminal crank arm 32 of a rock shaft 33 which is journaled in a nearby swivel bearing support 34 pivotally supported on the mounting bracket 5. The swivel support is formed with an open bearing and the shaft is held therein by the overlying ledge 3l. This bearing support for the shaft is located vclose to the crank arm'so that the outer end of the shaft may be givenA a greater angular adjustment without operatively dislocating the crank arm from the ledge. Such permissive adjustment of the crank part gives a wider field from which to select the proper location for the actuating button 35 at the opposite end of the rock shaft` The button isf supported by a spring 36 Wihin a housing 31 removably secured to a mounting base 38, the latter being mountable in a selected position on the door'or vehicle body by attaching Screws 3.9 and carrying a bearing support 40 for the outer end ofthe Shaft. Such outer'end terminates in a crank arm 4l vvhich engages in an eye in the stem 42 of the button so that depression of the button will rock the Shatand lift the spring plate I4 to retractfthe lock bolt Vl2 and releasev the windowv or closure connected'arm from the fluid motor. A retaining plate Il?.` holds the shaft in the bearingd'a'sainst accidental displacement.

By .this simple construction the installation is greatly-facilitated in that a-most desirable location for the release button 35y may readily be found withinv the wide range -of angular adjustmentor displacement of the rock shaft and thereafter the button secured to the door body. Thus the releasecontrol is disposed in a position easily accessible to the passenger. v

-Whilethe foregoing description has been given in detail for clarity it is Obvious that the inventive principles therein 'contained are susceptible of other physical embodiments without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and therefore it is not intended thereby to restrict thelnvention as dened in the appended claims.

. What is claimed is: 1, A closure operator comprising relatively movable-drive and driven partsV operable iny a definite nath back` andy forth, means detachably connecting said partsv for movement as a unit. and

enabling the driven part to be disconnected from the driving part,l a mount supporting the unit for such back and forth movement, a'swvel bearing `journaled on themount alongside the path for turning about an. axis lying transverse the plane of movement of saidparts, and a rockishaft iou-rnaled in the swivelbearing and adjustable therewith about such axis and in a planev sub.-

stantially parallel to the first plane, said shaft being operatively connected to said connecting means by a play connection for disconnecting the driven part from the driving part from any predetermined adjustment of the shaft about the swivel bearing axis, whereby to facilitate the location of the rock shaft in an accessible position.

2. A closure operator comprising relatively movable drive and driven parts operable in a definite path back and forth; means detachably connecting said parts for movement as a unit and i enabling the driven part to be disconnected from the driving part, a mount supporting the unit for such back and forth movement,4 a swivel bearing journaled on lthe mount alongside the path for turning about an axis lying transverse the plane of movement of said parts, and a rock shaftand beneath which face the crank part remains during such unit angular adjustment of 'the shaft and' swivel bearing for actuating said connecting meansfrom. any position within the limits of angular adjustment.

3. A clo'sure operator comprising relatively movable parts, means detachably connecting said parts for movement as al unit, a member mounting the unit, an open swivel bearing on the member, arock shaft having one end portion journaled in the bearing and formed with an ad- .iacent crank part, lsaid connecting means including a movably mounted part overlying the crank part to be actuated thereby and serving to hold the rock shaft in the bearing, and means on the opposite end portion of said shaft for rocking the same,v said rock shaft and said swivel bearing being angularly adjustable as a unit about the axis of the swivel bearing to facilitate placement of said rocking means in an accessible position.

4. A closure operator comprising relatively movable parts, means detachably connecting said Darts for movement as a unit, a member mount-` ing the unit, said connecting means embodying a plate abutting one of Said parts and lying upon the companion part, a spring plate anchored to said one part and to said abutting plate to constitute a spring hingev mounting for the latter, a locking lug carried by the abutting plate and engageable in a recess in said companion part t0 lock the two parts together. and means for movine' fthegabutting `plate to disengage the lug.

yANTON RAPPL. 

